It may seem odd to some people that Doug and Deacon, both presumably top performers at IPS, have never sought out higher job opportunities with the company over the course of a decade. However, the series makes it clear that supervisory jobs at IPS are quite miserable and stressful, and therefore may not be worth the extra money.
On its face, it doesn't make much sense that a gorgeous, intelligent woman like Carrie would be married to a fat, lazy guy like Doug. It makes more sense when you remember that Carrie comes with Arthur, who needs a place to live and contributes nothing to the household.
Doug is a charming guy, so it does actually make sense he'll find someone as beautiful as Carrie.
That an also as smart and gorgeous as Carrie is she tends to have a very abrasive personality.
In "Hi-Def Jam," why did asking about the return policy preclude Doug from buying the TV? When he was asked if he was going to bring it back after the Super Bowl, why didn't he just say, "No, I just would like to know in case anything goes wrong?"
In the chaotic and messy final episodes, the future for the Heffernans is spelt out. It's left ambiguous and never actually stated, but there are a few "whoa, doesn't look good..." moments. Doug and Carrie have their biggest and most seemingly final marital break-up. But they break one of the fundamental laws of a rocky marriage - never, ever, have a child to try to rescue a failing marriage. Nothing good ever comes of that. Ever. In fact, they end up with two: the adopted Chinese baby, and Carrie's unexpected child. In passing, we see a pregnant and abandoned Holly who is then serially abandoned by two main characters, who have both promised her a home for herself and the kid. She then hooks up with an inexperienced young Rabbi who has already been manipulated into turning his synagogue into a farce - marrying two Gentiles, under Jewish law, to save everyone's face and to ensure some sort of wedding takes place. His local Beth Din will not be amused. (Could he become an ex-Rabbi, and an ex-Rabbi with a pregnant Shiksa into the bargain?). And then there is a final flash-forward to Doug and Carrie, back in the Queens house where it all began. The house is messier even than when Doug went to complete slob after his break-up with Carrie. Two children are crying or running around. Carrie (normally meticuluously tidy) is at her wits end, and Doug is being wholly ineffectual as a father. It is not clear if Doug succeeded as a salesman - we are led to think not - or indeed whether he got his IPS job back. Nor if Carrie has left work to try and become a home-maker. Either way they'd be raising two kids with insufficient resources. And in the middle of all this... Arthur walks in with suitcase to announce he's back as his marriage to Vera has failed. You'd love to wish them well and desperately hope they made it. But the potential for complete disaster is here.
Doug and Carrie's marriage, just imagine it without the laugh track. The fact that they now have a kid who will grow up with it just makes it even more unsettling.
